"Behave now," she said firmly; "sorra bit--no," she proceeded; "and
whilst all the world was against him, runnin' him down and blackenin'
him--was she ever the girl to stand up behind his back and defend him
like a--hem--defend him, I say, as a girl that loved him ought, and a
generous-girl would?"
"But how could she when she believed, him to be wrong?"
"Why did she believe him to be wrong upon mere hearsay? and granting
that he was wrong! do you think now if you had done what they say he did
(and they lie that say it), an' that I heard the world down on you for
your first slip, do you think, I say, that I'd not defend you out of
clane contrariness,--and to vex them--ay, would I."
"I know, darlin', that you'd do everything that's generous an' right;
but settin' that affair aside, my dear Dora, what are you and I to do?"
"I don't know what we're to do," she replied; "it's useless for you to
ax me from my father now; for he wouldn't give me to you,--sorra bit."
"But you'll give me yourself, Dora, darling."
"Not without his consent, no nor with it,--as the families stand this
moment; for I tell you again that the sorra ring ever I'll put on you
till your sister sends for my brother, axes his pardon, and makes up
with him, as she ought to do. Oh why, James dear, should she be so harsh
upon him," she said, softening at once; "she that is so good an' so
faultless afther all? but I suppose that's the raison of it--she doesn't
know what it is to do anything that's not right.
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